One of a Kind “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” —Mary Lou Cook The accumulation of things to glue on is never-ending. Until recently, I have had a difficult time throwing anything away. Well, truth be told, I still do. Treasured finds magically appear, and I just have to have them to cover with shards of another time and place.

The ongoing opportunities that present you with perfect tables, dressers, headboards, pedestals, and unique surfaces that need to be decorated are overwhelming. How do you walk away from a piece that brings you a creative boost and artistic enthusiasm?

It can be challenging in the beginning stages of this art form. You may find yourself becoming a pack rat, and defending your treasures like a junkyard dog with the justification that this is the stuff that you’ll get around to gluing one day.

You may get around to some; some you most assuredly won’t. In the meantime, the art of found objects can take over your basement, closets, garage, and kitchen. Try to establish a few boundaries, for the sanity of yourself and your loved ones.

I’ll give you fair warning: it’s a challenge to keep this very random art form organized!

Pique assiette furniture

When you are creating pique assiette mosaic tile furniture, all of the standard preparations, tools, materials, and directions apply, along with additional safety precautions.

Pack Rat Advice

Select the surface and materials that you have decided on. Make that project your only concern. If you start it, finish it, and find a place for it.

You may decide to have two projects going on at the same time. That’s fine. But if the bits and pieces start to take over your living space, there may not be any room left for creativity.

Always make sure that the piece you have chosen to tile has the ability to withstand the additional weight associated with this art form. When selecting a piece of furniture, check to make sure that it is a stable piece of wooden or metal furniture (I don’t recommend tiling on plastic). If the piece is unstable or needs to be repaired, fix it before you begin to make sure that the piece is safe and suitable to use.

As with all functioning mosaic tile artwork, check that the tiles and shards that are glued to the surface are free from sharp edges.

The “Finger Cutter” was one of my very early furniture pieces. It’s a perfect example of what not to do. Some of the shards are sharp and oversized, based on where they were glued. It has proven to be a dangerous piece to move if you grab it wrong. It’s not something I like to worry about, especially with grandchildren running around.

Sure, it’s a cool piece. I love it! I just don’t want it out in the open until I can get around to smoothing out the edges.

Mosaic tile furniture tips and tricks

1. Frame the edges of tables, chairs, dressers, and pedestals with smooth-edged tile or glass to allow people to actually use the piece without it cutting them or snagging their clothes.
2. Keep the thickness of materials consistent on tabletops. You don’t want glasses or plates to wobble or tip over when placed on the finished surface.
3. Clean and sand the surface before beginning.
4. PVA adhesive, clear silicone, and mastic can all be used on furniture.
5. When tiling larger pieces of furniture, divide the gluing process into sections.
6. Set aside multiple hours to create the piece. Allow drying time in between sections. Add more time if you’ve decided to add tile around legs of tables or chairs.
7. Work with small pieces that will lie flat. Patience is a must. That’s the best advice I can give.

   

   

   Make sure the seat doesn’t have sharp edges.

   

The “Anchors Aweigh” bedside table shows how a napkin holder, a pelican souvenir, a coaster, a little box, and lots of glass tile can bring a number of functions to a very small table in a really unique way.

1. Think of ways to embed unique objects that offer a function to the piece. After deciding where the finished piece will be displayed, devise ways to incorporate items that will serve a purpose—a pen holder, key dish, or a coin catch-all. The sky’s the limit! Glue extruded pieces with additional adhesive—preferably clear Liquid Nails or mastic. After the adhesive has set up a bit, remove the excess. Build up extra grout around these objects.
2. Use a latex additive instead of water, when mixing grout for a furniture piece.
3. Keep the surface free of spills, dirt, and grease.
4. Seal the grout at least once a year if the piece is used often.
5. If pieces fall off of the furniture due to wear and tear, use a Dremel tool to clean out the remaining adhesive or grout from the area. Re-glue the pieces. Let dry, grout carefully, and hope for the best.

A tiled dog house that I’m sure Buster would love!